Go Fish
by ArtsyChick
Summary: Stuck in the hospital together, Kakashi and Sakura pass the time by playing cards. But when Kakashi learns his pink-haired doctor blew off her big date to take care of him, he struggles to make it up to her.
1. Part 1

**A/N: **While I was working on "That Girl," this idea popped into my head based on a part that was eventually edited out. Hope you like it!

* * *

"You are an idiot."

"Ow."

"How can you be this stupid?"

"Oww."

"What the heck is wrong with you?"

"I said 'oww' Sakura."

The pink-haired medic raised an eyebrow as her frown deepened. Then she jabbed him in the thigh.

Kakashi's leg and eyebrow twitched simultaneously as he resisted the urge to whack his former student upside the head. That was the problem with working with women—you gesture at them in a friendly manner and it's sexual harassment, or you sit by quietly and people think you're whipped.

"On second thought," he began, trying to stand up, "I think I'd rather face Tsunade. Thanks for all your help."

Sakura placed her faintly glowing palm on his chest and shoved him back down to the scratchy hospital sheets. "Yeah, I don't think so."

"Why?"

She glared at him. "Because you're an idiot."

"Glad to see you still respect me."

Ignoring the comment, but unable to prevent one corner of her mouth from curling up, she continued to wrap the bandage around his thigh. "If Tsunade knew you were walking around the village _bleeding_, she'd have your head."

Kakashi shrugged. "You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard that threat."

"I'm sure I wouldn't." She lifted her head again. "You know," she said, "you can come here anytime you're injured and ask for me."

Again he shrugged and she shook her head and made a point of jabbing him. "Kakashi Hatake, I found you on the verge of collapsing in the middle of the road because _you _insisted on going to the bookstore to buy more porn."

He winced as she sent shooting pains up his leg, causing his foot to tingle. "First off, it's _not_ porn. Second, it's a new release."

"I flipped through one of them once; whatever it is, it certainly isn't good." She calmly ducked the swipe he made at her head—the pain had dulled his reflexes considerably. "How the heck did you get this badly injured anyway?"

"The blame, I believe, rests solely on Guy's shoulders. I was simply doing my job."

Sakura couldn't help laughing as she tied the bandage off in a neat little bow. "I only wish I had been there so I could've seen what stunt he pulled this time," she giggled. "He's landed you in the hospital three times already."

"Eight, actually." He shifted his body on the itchy sheets. "You forget there was a time when you didn't actually work here."

"Sorry. _My _bad."

As she began to pack up the bandages, a thought briefly fluttered through his head. "Didn't you say you had a date tonight?" he asked suddenly.

Sakura's cheeks immediately began to redden. "Yeah," she murmured, only pausing for a second in her packing.

He _knew_ he'd remembered. Before he'd gone on his mission with Guy, Sakura had been prattling on about her new boyfriend over a bowl of ramen at Ichiraku (his treat). His name was something with a 't' that he couldn't recall, but she had babbled about having a date the day after Kakashi got back.

"Tsuge?" he ventured.

"Tomoya," she replied quietly, not even bothering to reach over and punch him for forgetting.

"Right. Tomoya. I knew that."

"Very funny," she laughed, poking him in the shoulder. "The medicine should start working immediately, so try not to move too much or you'll slow the healing process."

He glanced at his thigh, which had disappeared beneath layers of pristine white bandages and was now faintly glowing green. "And what exactly _is _the healing process?"

"Clotting your blood and stitching together the torn ligaments." Patting his arm, she smirked. "Next time though, you won't be so lucky."

"Good to know."

As she giggled and a mischievous smile quirked his lips beneath his mask, the distant clacking of nurse's shoes on the tiled floor echoed in the hallway and a prim young woman with long dark hair and a clipboard poked her head in.

"Sakura, there's a phone call for you at the front desk."

Sakura furrowed her brow in confusion. "Okay." She stood up and looked at him. "I'll be right back, okay?" He nodded and she turned to go, thanking the young woman on her way out.

Kakashi slumped back against the headboard and sighed. He wished Sakura hadn't made him strip and hand over his brand-new book. Better her than Tsunade though—Tsunade would have burned it had she discovered it on his person.

* * *

Sakura thanked Megumi and headed for the front desk. The secretary, Umeko, handed her the phone and gave her a sappy smile as Sakura pressed the phone to her ear and tiptoed away.

"Hello?" she said.

"_Hey beautiful,"_ the voice on the other line replied smoothly.

She smiled. "Hi Tomoya."

"_How's my cherry blossom?"_

Twirling the cord between her fingers, she leaned against the wall. "Fine."

"_Fine? Not good, or great? Not even fantastic?"_

"I'm feeling a _little_ fantastic because you called."

"_Well, _that_ certainly boosts my self-esteem."_ She laughed into the receiver, sure he was smiling on the other end. _"So, I just called to make sure we're still going out tonight."_

Her heart sank. "I don't know if I can make it…"

"_Come on, we've been planning it for a week. Dinner at Suzuki's, movie at your apartment, maybe a little extra…?"_

Sakura's knees buckled and she sank to the floor in distress. "Just… just give me a minute, okay?" she mumbled, pressing a hand to her forehead.

Kakashi needed her. No one knew his medical record, not to mention his personal preferences, like she did. If she left, who knows what trauma her fellow medics might put him through. And it wasn't only physical trauma she was afraid of; every woman in the hospital was _dying _to get a glimpse of her former teacher's face, and the lengths they were willing to go to get their way were frightening.

Then again, she and Tomoya _had _been planning this date for a week, and she _had_ been looking forward to it. How often did she meet a nice, sweet guy who _wasn't_ put out by the fact she was a kunoichi, which, sadly, turned more guys _off _than _on_.

Despite all that, however, she had already made her decision. "I really wish I could," she whispered, cradling the phone to her chest, "but I can't."

She could hear the disappointment in his voice. _"How come?"_

"One of my old teammates is here and he's in pretty bad shape, so I—"

"_I understand."_

Sakura straightened. "You do?"

"_Yeah. I bet he's like family, right? Like a little brother?"_

"More like a flighty, perverted uncle," she grumbled, relieved to hear Tomoya chuckle in her ear.

"_I understand. We'll take a rain check, hmm? Sound good?"_

She smiled. "You're the best, you know that?"

"_Naturally. But you probably say that to _all _your boyfriends."_

"No, just you."

He laughed again. _"All right, call me tomorrow okay? And give my best wishes for a swift recovery to your flighty, perverted uncle."_

"I will."

"_Bye beautiful."_

"Bye." And she hung up.

* * *

When Sakura returned to the room, Kakashi pushed himself up off the pillows and let his eye follow her. "Who was that?" he found himself blurting out.

Sakura glanced at him, eyebrows raised, as she brushed a lock of pink hair off her forehead. "Why do you want to know?"

He shrugged. "Curiosity. It's okay if you don't tell me. I don't really care all that much." Much to his consternation—and puzzlement—he then added, "Was it Tsuge?"

"Tomoya, remember?"

"Right. I knew that."

"Sure you did."

"So he _did _call you?"

She stopped writing—filling out his paperwork, most likely—as a lovely pink blush began to dust her cheeks. "Yeah," and she jerked her head back down.

"He didn't break up with you, did he? I'm not good at comforting weepy females."

She punched him in the arm. "_No, _he did _not _break up with me," she replied indignantly. "He just called to cancel our date tonight. He caught the flu."

"Oh." He shifted slightly on the mattress. "So… are you going to stay here?"

Sighing exasperatedly, she returned to her writing. "Yeah, I guess. _Someone's_ got to take care of you, and we don't need you scaring another nurse to death."

Beneath his mask, he frowned. "It was only into _unconsciousness._ Besides, how was I supposed to know she was afraid of blood?"

"It doesn't really matter because you're still a jerk."

"Glad to see I'm still appreciated."

Even though she tried to hide it, he saw the corner of her lip curl up into a half smile. With a final flourish of her pen, she hooked the clipboard onto the end of his bed and flopped onto the mattress. "Since we're stuck together for the next six hours," she said brightly, reaching into a pocket on her skirt, "let's play a game." She set a pack of playing cards on the sheet and looked up at him expectantly.

He arched an eyebrow. "Poker?" he asked.

"No, guess again."

"Strip poker?" She punched him in the arm so hard he could literally _see _the bruise forming. "Okay…" he cleared his throat, "do _you _have any ideas, Sakura?"

She grinned. "Let's play Go Fish."

"How old are you again?"

"Old enough to kick your ass."

"Fair enough. Go Fish it is."

* * *

"Do you have any… twos?"

"Go fish. Do you have any sevens?"

"Nope, go fish. Do you have any… fours?"

"Go fish. Do you have any sevens?"

Sakura leaned over and socked him on his black-and-blue arm. "You've asked me that the last six rounds," she grumbled. "Pick a different number."

"You didn't answer my question."

She sighed. "No Kakashi, I _don't _have any sevens. Go fish." He drew a card. "Do you have any fives?"

"Go fish." After she drew card and he'd studied his for a moment, he tapped his chin and said, "Do you have any sevens?"

This time she smacked him upside the head before throwing the seven of spades at him. He grinned. "Seventh time's the charm."

She shook her head. "You're just a jerk."

"Why? Because I'm winning?"

"May I remind you _who_ is your doctor and in control of any and all healing you receive?"

"Good point. Do you have any…"

"Don't you dare say sevens."

"I was going to say tens." She threw another card at him. "Thank you."

"Yeah, whatever," she mumbled.

* * *

Several hours later Kakashi was sitting, propped up by pillows, and casually reading a medical journal he'd found on the bedside table. It couldn't compare with _Icha Icha_, but it would suffice until Sakura gave him his stuff back.

Speaking of the pink-haired medic…

Breathing very slowly and very quietly—and most likely drooling on his hospital gown— Sakura rested her head on his stomach. She'd sworn she was only going to rest her eyes for a minute, but he refused to disturb her. She needed it; the dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep still peeked through despite layers of makeup.

As he turned the page, he heard the faint clacking of heels on the tile in the hallway and casually let his head droop, feigning sleep. The clacking grew louder and louder, and he could distinguish two voices. The footsteps halted outside his room and the women's conversation drifted in.

"Oh, look at them!" one woman murmured. "Isn't that so cute? Who knew Kakashi-senpai was a big softie?"

"I know," the other female replied. "He dotes on Sakura, and everyone knows how protective she is of him and Naruto Uzumaki." Then her voice rose and she whispered conspiratorially, "Did you hear that Sakura blew off her boyfriend for him?"

Her companion gasped. "Really? Why on earth would she do _that_?"

"I don't know, that's just what Megumi told me."

"I can't believe it. She's been talking about her date all week."

"I _know_, that's what makes it so shocking. Have you _seen_ her boyfriend?"

"Oh yes, and he _is_ a cutie. So suave too."

"I know, right? I wouldn't blow off a guy like that for _my_ old teacher."

"Same here. Poor girl. She should tell her teammates to be more careful."

"As if _that_ would ever work with Naruto," she scoffed.

"It might with Kakashi-senpai."

"No way. He doesn't care about her feelings at all." There was a quiet call from another room, and the two women turned away from the door and went clacking off, their conversation fading away.


	2. Part 2

**A/N: **This turned out to be much longer than I anticipated, so I split it into two parts.

* * *

It was nice to wake up to the sound of voices and birds singing outside the window rather than the annoying buzzing of an alarm clock. Stretching her arms, Sakura sat up and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Nice hairstyle. Bed-head is very becoming on you."

She stuck her tongue out at Kakashi. "I don't think _you _really get to critique _my_ hairstyle."

He tilted his head. "Touché."

Propping herself up on her elbows, she gazed at him and smiled. "How're you feeling?"

He shifted slightly beneath her. "I can't feel my leg." She rolled off of him and he sighed, bending his knee. "Much better."

"Seriously, how are you feeling?"

"Okay. Kind of sore."

"Being used as a pillow will do that." She blushed. "Thanks for that, by the way." He just shrugged.

"Well," she said, climbing off the bed and stretching again, "I should probably do a follow-up and make sure you've healed okay."

"All right."

Throwing back the sheet, Kakashi extended his leg and she ran her hands the length of his thigh. The bandages had stopped glowing, and he didn't flinch when she prodded the wound. "I think you're better," she said, looking up at him as she grabbed a pair of scissors off the bedside table. "Let me just make sure it's healed completely and you can go home."

"Can I have my clothes back?"

She grinned mischievously. "Maybe."

"How about my book?"

She chose not to respond, and he sighed again.

As she began to snip away at the cloth and gauze, he straightened up and she could feel his eye on her. "Sakura?"

"Hmm?"

"There's a spider behind you."

She turned around, prepared to smash the offensive bug with her shoe, and instead felt the breath leave her lungs.

A vase filled with lush pink carnations and wispy baby's breath stood perched on the edge of the desk. Even from across the room, the bouquet's heady perfume flooded her nose. She stepped toward it, unable to speak, and plucked a card from between the petals.

'_Sakura_,' it said, _'sorry about our date last night. I hope these make up for it. Have a wonderful day. Love, Tomoya._'

Sakura smiled, hugging the card to her chest. She just _had _to be the luckiest girlfriend in the world!

"Who's it from?"

She turned back and smiled at Kakashi. "Tomoya. To make up for our date last night."

He rolled his eye. "If you're going to start in about how great and awesome he is," he said indignantly, slumping down in the bed, "then feel free to leave and gush to one of your giggly coworkers."

"Stop it," she said teasingly, walking back and flicking his forehead. "You just don't want to hear about him because he makes every other man on earth look bad." He just grumbled something under his breath.

Shaking her head, she finished slicing away the bandages and examined his leg. Except for being unusually pale—and unbelievably muscular—it appeared to be a perfectly normal, healthy leg; no injuries or scars in sight.

"I think you're all better, Kakashi," she said, tossing the soiled bandages into the little trashcan. "Once you're dressed, you can go home."

"Really?"

"Yep."

She stood and he shifted so his legs were dangling over the side. As he started to rise, she glanced back at her bouquet and couldn't help smiling again.

It took her a moment to realize Kakashi was speaking to her. "Sorry, what?" she asked sheepishly.

He tilted his head. "I asked if there are any nasty side effects I should be worried about."

"Unfortunately, that medicine is ineffective against swollen egos."

"Very funny." He gestured to the desk supporting her flowers and a neat stack of fabric. "Could you hand me my clothes now?"

As he changed behind the curtains surrounding the bed, Sakura buried her nose in the blooms. No one ever gave her flowers. If only men realized that the way to a girl's heart was with pretty bouquets. Well, that and chocolate, of course.

"Sakura, I think I dropped a glove. Is it out there?"

She looked at the table and spied it half-hidden behind the vase. "Yeah, I found it," she replied, picking it up.

"Could you hand it to me?" A long arm parted the curtain and waited.

"Sure." As she placed the glove in his outstretched hand, she noticed that the tip of his index finger was stained blue. The stain hadn't been there yesterday and, now that she thought about it, it seemed to match the blue ink on Tomoya's card.

Studying the card again, she realized she'd missed the blue fingerprint on the back, as if Tomoya had started writing and then smeared it with his finger. But the fingerprint was too big to be Tomoya's, and he never wrote in pen anyway…

The curtain drew back and Kakashi stepped out, looking like his old self as he adjusted his forehead protector. "I never did thank you," he said suddenly, his right eye crinkling up as he grinned beneath his mask. "Thank you, Sakura."

She smiled slightly in return, but she hadn't really registered his words, her mind preoccupied with the smudged ink. There was an awkward moment of silence before Kakashi cleared his throat, patted her head, and quietly stepped into the hallway.

* * *

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Kakashi headed for the exit, the expression on Sakura's face still fresh in his mind. He was glad he'd thought of the bouquet. While it might not clear him of any blame for her missing her date, it at least cleared his conscience.

It hadn't been easy smuggling those flowers into the hospital. For one thing, he couldn't even leave the room without looking suspicious, so he'd had to summon Pakkun and send him out to buy the flowers. And once the little dog had retrieved the bouquet, he had nothing to write on. Sakura probably wouldn't miss the seven of hearts from her deck, right?

Even if she did, it was worth it. The smile on her face when she read that card was just breathtaking.

Although he still wished she'd given his book back. Now he was going to have to buy another copy, and who knew if there'd still be any left in Konoha by—

"Kakashi!"

He stopped and turned. Sakura was jogging toward him, a panicked expression on her face. "Did I forget something?" he asked, checking his pockets to make sure he had his house key, his wallet, his weapons…

She shook her head, then extended her arm. He stared at it, dumbfounded.

"Take it before I change my mind," she said sternly, so Kakashi reached out and she placed his brand new book in his hands.

"What's this for?"

"For playing Go Fish with me when you didn't have to." He started to go again when he felt her hand on his arm stopping him, and before he could protest there was a soft pressure on his cheek. He entire face began to grow hot as Sakura leaned back and bit her lip.

Once he'd lowered his heart rate, he mumbled, "And what was that for?"

She shrugged even as her cheeks reddened. "Just 'cause," she whispered. A few awkward moments passed, and then she straightened up and frowned. "You should probably leave before the nurses assault you or something."

"Right." He tilted his head. "See you around then?" She nodded. Bowing his head, Kakashi spun on his heel, shoved his hands back into his pockets, and strode down the hallway and out into the bright sunlight, a content smile on his face.


End file.
